The Scottish FA's Key Match Incident (KMI) panel has ruled that Celtic's match-winning penalty against Motherwell last week should not have been awarded. The decision proved pivotal in the Scottish Premiership title race, as Celtic went on to secure a 3-1 victory on the final day to retain the crown.
The incident occurred deep into stoppage time at Fir Park with the score at 2-2. VAR Andrew Dallas advised referee John Beaton to review the monitor, believing Motherwell winger Sam Nicholson had handled the ball, despite replays suggesting it struck his head. Beaton overturned his initial decision and awarded the penalty, which Kelechi Iheanacho converted.
The KMI panel confirmed that Beaton's original decision not to award a penalty was correct, and the VAR intervention was incorrect. Had Celtic drawn that match, they would have needed to beat Hearts by a three-goal margin on the final day to win the title. Instead, the late win meant a simple victory sufficed.
The decision sparked intense backlash, with Hearts manager Derek McInnes labelling it "disgusting." Beaton was placed under police protection after his personal details were leaked online. This was the second major VAR decision to go against Hearts in the final weeks, with the KMI panel previously ruling that a penalty not awarded to Hearts against Motherwell was also incorrect.
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill defended the call, stating it "looks as if it's a pretty clear cut" and citing both handball and an elbow. However, the KMI panel's ruling has added to the controversy surrounding the title race.
